A simple and rapid HPLC method for the determination of atorvastatin in human plasma with UV detection and its application to pharmacokinetic studies

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of atorvastatin (CAS 134523-00-5) in plasma was developed in this study. Atorvastatin was isolated from plasma using protein precipitation by acetonitrile. Diltiazem (CAS 33286-22-5) was used as internal standard. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: analytical 125 x 4 mm (i.d.) Nucleosil C8 column (5 microm particle size), mobile phase consisting of sodium dihydrogen phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (60:40, v/v) adjusted to pH 5.5 at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min, UV detection at 245 nm. The detection limit for atorvastatin in plasma was 1 ng ml(-1). The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 20-800 ng ml(-1). The recovery was complete. The inter-day and intra-day assay coefficients of variation were found to be less than 7%. The present validated method was successfully used for pharmacokinetic studies of atorvastatin in human subjects.